Thousands of bathers began to flock to the coasts on Friday to begin the weekend of July 4 despite a national resurgence in coronavirus cases that has caused the closure of beaches in some of the most affected areas and other restrictions. to prevent more infections.
In Chicago, the beaches are officially closed for the weekend, but Foster Beach was crowded as many sunbathed on Lake Michigan, WLS-TV reported. Beach goers gathered in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, while largely ignoring social distancing measures, according to TMZ.
In New Jersey, large crowds are expected off the Jersey shore, sparking locals’ concern about tourists not following safety protocols.
“We are seeing spikes across the country in states that opened weeks ago, and while we are doing a good job in New Jersey, there are many people who are too arrogant about social alienation,” said Paul Kanitra, mayor of Point Pleasant. Beach, NJ, a popular summer destination. “There is an inherent risk in all of this.”
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Florida attorney Daniel Uhlfelder donned his infamous Grim Reaper outfit and went to a Jacksonville beach to warn visitors of the risks of gathering nearby.
“Jacksonville Beach was full of people today, many of whom were misinformed,” he tweeted.
COVID-19 infections increased in at least 40 states as the country heads to what will be a very different holiday weekend. Public health officials have warned that large gatherings could exacerbate the outbreak after weeks of progress that has essentially been erased in many areas.
Nationwide, more than 50,000 new cases of COVID-19 were reported Thursday, a record for daily infections. In four states where the outbreaks are the most severe (Arizona, California, Florida, and Texas), more than 25,000 new cases of COVID-19 were confirmed on the same day.
As of Friday, the United States reported more than 2.7 million cases and more than 129,000 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University. Although infections have soared, the death rate has remained stable. US Surgeon General Jerome Adams said Friday that “deaths are delayed by at least two weeks and may be delayed even further.”
“At first, nursing homes were badly affected and most of our deaths occurred in people 60, 65, or older,” he said during an appearance on “Fox & Friends.” “Now, the majority of cases are in people who have an average age of 35, so those people will have fewer comorbidities, less likely to end up in the hospital and die.”
In many regions where infections have skyrocketed after the gradual reopening, beaches have been closed for the next four days for fear of more infections. Health officials are urging Americans to stay home and limit their activity and contact with people who live outside their homes.
In California, public beaches across the state are closed until Monday, along with parking lots and beach garages in an effort to prevent a repeat of Memorial Day weekend when thousands of people congregated near each other . 19 counties, bars, cinemas, zoos, museums and other business sectors were ordered closed for at least three weeks.
Several Texas municipalities imposed restrictions, such as closing beach access points and closing parks. In Port Aransas, a curfew was imposed on the beaches and the movement of vehicles on the beach was prohibited.
Republican Governor Greg Abbott has ordered the use of facial covers in public in counties with 20 or more COVID-19 cases. The directive came after an aggressive reopening that has since been reduced.
In Miami, a normally busy South Beach died on Friday amid the closure of its beach. Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Giménez issued an executive order this week closing all beaches until Tuesday. Other counties like Broward and Palm Beach have done the same.
Women sunbathe on a strip of grass along Government Cut as a container ship passes by during the new coronavirus pandemic on Friday in Miami Beach, Florida. Beaches throughout South Florida are closed during the busy weekend of July 4 to prevent further spread of the new coronavirus. . (AP Photo / Lynne Sladky)
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Giménez also ordered that masks be worn inside companies and outside whenever social distancing is not possible.
“If people are not going to be responsible and protect themselves and others from this pandemic, then the government is forced to step in and restore common sense to save lives,” the mayor said in a statement earlier this week.
